Passages

Despite their prominence in Christian theology and practice, references to Jer 31:31-34 and the phrase “new covenant” are not very common in the New Covenant, also known as the New Testament. There is, however, an echo of Jeremiah’s “new covenant” language in the accounts of Jesus’ words over the cup at the Last Supper. Writing in the mid-50s of the first century C.E., Paul quotes words found also in Luke 22:20 as part of the tradition he received and handed on to the Corinthians: “This cup is the new covenant in my blood” (1Cor 11:25). In the parallel accounts in Mark 14:24 and Matt 26:28, all the ancient manuscripts have the word “covenant,” though not all include “new.” These occurrences in the context of the Last Supper/Lord’s Supper (Eucharist) are important because, in the case of a very early text like 1Cor 1:1-31, the appearance of the expression “new covenant” reflects the liturgical language of the early church and indicates the phrase was already in common usage.

In 2Cor 3:6-18, Paul, writing to Gentile Christians in the mid-50s C.E., compares the “old covenant”—in this case the Sinai covenant with Moses—and the new covenant that has come with Jesus. The old covenant, Paul says, consisted of letters written on stone tablets. It brought death and condemnation. Its glory was fading and had the effect of putting a veil over the Scriptures. By contrast, the new covenant was guided by the Holy Spirit. Paul’s view was that it brought life, righteousness, and freedom. And it offered a permanent kind of splendor, removed the veil, and allowed the Scriptures to be properly interpreted as referring to what God had done in Christ. Paul alludes to several Old Testament texts here, especially Jer 31:31-34 (though Paul does not use the phrase “new covenant”).

The longest quotation of any Hebrew Bible passage in the New Testament comes in Heb 8:8-12, where the unknown author cites Jer 31:31-34 in full. It is part of the author’s argument that Jesus is “the mediator of a better covenant” and that there was something wrong with the old covenant. He claims, “If that first covenant had been faultless, there would have been no need to look for a second one” (Heb 8:7). In the central section of Heb 4:14-10:18, the author tries to show that the sacrifices and the priesthood of the old covenant were powerless to bring about the forgiveness of sins. A new sacrifice and a new priesthood were needed, he contends, and he found them in Christ’s atoning death on the cross. He concludes that, in light of the new covenant, the old covenant is “obsolete and growing old” and “will soon disappear” (Heb 8:13). As the climax of his main argument, the author again quotes parts of Jer 31:31-34 in Heb 10:16-17 to suggest that Jesus’ sacrifice of himself as the great high priest constituted the one truly effective sacrifice for sins, and that the new covenant has no need of material sacrifices or Levitical priests. This passage was key to the development of supersessionist ideas that still persist within the church—namely, the notion that Christianity has superseded Judaism, and that Christians compose the only true Israel.

Contributors

Daniel J. Harrington, S.J., (1940-2014) was professor of New Testament at Boston College School of Theology and Ministry and editor of New Testament Abstracts. He authored What Are They Saying about the Letter to the Hebrews (Paulist, 2005) and The Letter to the Hebrews (Liturgical, 2006).

Supersessionist theology argues that Christians have replaced Jews as the people of God, and often refers to the quotation of Jeremiah 31:31-32 in Hebrews 8:8-9; but how ought these texts to be understood?

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A collection of first-century Jewish and early Christian writings that, along with the Old Testament, makes up the Christian Bible.

Christians who were not Jewish prior to their conversion.

A West Semitic language, in which most of the Hebrew Bible is written except for parts of Daniel and Ezra. Hebrew is regarded as the spoken language of ancient Israel but is largely replaced by Aramaic in the Persian period.

The religion and culture of Jews. It emerged as the descendant of ancient Israelite Religion, and is characterized by monotheism and an adherence to the laws present in the Written Torah (the Bible) and the Oral Torah (Talmudic/Rabbinic tradition).

Textual documents, usually handwritten.

The first covenant made by Yahweh with the Israelites. Though this covenant is often described as eternal and unbreakable, the New Testament develops the idea that the old covenant has been superseded by the new covenant in Jesus Christ.

Also called the Hebrew Bible, those parts of the canon that are common to both Jews and Christians. The designation "Old Testament" places this part of the canon in relation to the New Testament, the part of the Bible canonical only to Christians. Because the term "Old Testament" assumes a distinctly Christian perspective, many scholars prefer to use the more neutral "Hebrew Bible," which derives from the fact that the texts of this part of the canon are written almost entirely in Hebrew.

In the New Testament, elements or stories that are preserved by more than one source, e.g., Jesus feeding the multitude in the Gospels of Mark and Matthew.

Of or related to a theology holding that Christianity takes the place of Israel's in God's plans.

Writing, speech, or thought about the nature and behavior of God.

Jer 31:31-34

A New Covenant31The days are surely coming, says the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah.32It will not be lik ... View more

Luke 22:20

20And he did the same with the cup after supper, saying, “This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood.

1Cor 11:25

25In the same way he took the cup also, after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me ... View more

Mark 14:24

24He said to them, “This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many.

Matt 26:28

28for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.

1Cor 1:1-31

Salutation1Paul, called to be an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and our brother Sosthenes,2To the church of God that is in Corinth, to those who a ... View more

2Cor 3:6-18

6who has made us competent to be ministers of a new covenant, not of letter but of spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.7Now if the ministry ... View more

Jer 31:31-34

A New Covenant31The days are surely coming, says the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah.32It will not be lik ... View more

Heb 8:8-12

8God finds fault with them when he says:“The days are surely coming, says the Lord,when I will establish a new covenant with the house of Israeland with the ... View more

Jer 31:31-34

A New Covenant31The days are surely coming, says the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah.32It will not be lik ... View more

Heb 8:7

7For if that first covenant had been faultless, there would have been no need to look for a second one.

Heb 4:14-10:18

Jesus the Great High Priest14Since, then, we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast to our confes ... View more

Heb 8:13

13In speaking of “a new covenant,” he has made the first one obsolete. And what is obsolete and growing old will soon disappear.

Jer 31:31-34

A New Covenant31The days are surely coming, says the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah.32It will not be lik ... View more

Heb 10:16-17

16“This is the covenant that I will make with themafter those days, says the Lord:I will put my laws in their hearts,and I will write them on their minds,”17 ... View more

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